Self-adjustable brake for vehicles



` Nov. 24, 1931.v D. R. JoHNsoN I 1,833,837

SELF ADJUSTABLE BRAKE FOR VEHILES NOV. '24, 1931. D, R, JOHNSON l 1,833,8374

SELF ADJUSTABLE BRAK FOR VEHICLES Filed Aug. 7. 195o L2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAYTON R. JOHNSON, OF SANFORD, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR O1?V ONE-THIRD TO ELLA. V.

Y `SIlZnAlDIEl, F' IONGWOOD, FLORIDA, ONE-THIRD T0 CHARLES D. FORRESTER, OF SAN- FORD,'FLORIDA, AND ONE-THIRD TO HIMSELF i' sELFLADiUsrALBLE :BRAKE lrola. VEHICLES Application. led August 7, 1930. Serial No. 473,623.

Thisinvention relates to mechanical braking mechanism and is designed particularly with a view to its use/on four wheel brakes of motor vehicles.

An object ofthe inventionv isift'o provide a brake mechanism vwhich .will equalize pres-4 sure on each of the four4 wheel brakes of the vehicle. f j 1 l Afurther .object is to provide means 'whereby the remaining brakes will operate when one or more of the operative connections between the brake pedal and the brake drums becomes disconnected or broken.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings,

which are made apart hereof and on whichV similar reference characters indicate similar Parts, .Figure 1 is Aan inverted plan view, x

` Figure 2, a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1, Figure 3,'a section on' line 3 3 of Figure l2, Figure 4, a detail view of a'modifiedv form of operating mechanism, and

modified form .of the invention.

In the drawings numeral' 10 indicates the frame of an automobile upon whichthe braking mechanism is mounted, and 11 indicates v thebrake drums of usual or-known construction. The brake bands are operated by means of rods 12 and' 13 connected to brackets 14.

' Suitably mounted on 'the side portions of a ,the frame arebrackets 15 and 16. A bracket 'A 17 is mounted on a cross piece 18 of the automobile frame. Shafts 19 are journaled in 1 bearings.; in the bracket 17 and these shafts` carry on their inner ends arms 20. Shafts 21 are mounted on the brackets 15 and are A4.0 held in'l position by means-of bars 36. The

745 and the bracket for eliminating rattling.

`the bottom of the bracket 15. joint 26 connects the shaft 21 with the outer "end of the shafts 19. This permits the outer 'nected at 32 intermediate the ends of the Figure', a diagrammatic plan view of a" toward the center of the motor vehicle and The tension on the springs 23 may be controlled by nuts 22. Posts 24 and 25 are spaced from. the shaft 21 to permit this shaft to.` have va certain longitudinal movement in the slot formed between the bar 36 and A universal end of the shaft 21 to move longitudinally o'f the frame. Secured to the shafts 21 are arms 27 to the outer ends lof which the rods 12 and 13 are attached'. The ends of these rods may be' detacha-bly secured by means of bolts 28 carrying Cotter pins so that the rods may be detached for a purpose which will (later appear.

To the arms 20 are attached links 29 which are connected' at their other ends to the opposite ends of a rock lever 30. A link 31 is conlever 30 and*l connected at its other end to a brake pedal 33. The rock lever 30 is held between upper and lower brackets 34 and 35 so as to be permitted to slide longitudinally of the brackets.

.The operation of the device should be apparent. from the foregoing description.

The operator applies pressure tothe brake pedal 33v and this pulls the rods 29 forward by means of the rock lever 30. Since the link 31 isconnected atvthe centralpoint of the lever 30, equal strain will be applied to each ofthe links 29, and this rotates the shafts 19 and 21 to pull the links 12 and 13 apply thebrakes. 'Since the shafts 21 mayioat inthe slots between the bars 27 and the lower sides of the bracketsvl equal pressure will be applied to the front and rear brake drums due to the universal joint connections 26. If for any reason one ofthe links 12 or' 13 should become broken or disconnected the shaft 21 will strike against oneof the stop pins 24 and 25 so that rotation of the shaft. 21 will apply pressure to the corresponding ..90

`brake on that side of the 'motorvehicle Three brakes therefore will be operated even though the connection'to one of the brake drums is broken. Since the operator .might not desire to operate his car with two brakes on one side .and only one on the"other after one connection becomes broken, he may disconnect the corresponding rod on the opposite side of the automobileby removing the pin 28 whereupon the vehicle will be operated by two brakes only, one on each side of the vehicle. It will therefore be seen from the description and the operation that equal pres'sure is applied to all of the brakes ofthe vehicle during normal operation and that in case of an-accident to one of the braking connections the other three will func-tion.

It may be desirable to apply the brakes by a hand operated lever in lieu of the brake pedal. As shown in Fig. 4 therefore the link 31 may have a slotted connection, as shown at 37, with the brake pedal, and a hand lever l 38 may be connected by means of a link 39 and a slidable collar 40 to operate link 31', a stop collar 41 lbeing provided on the link 31 by means of which thelink is moved. The

4slot 37 permits free movement of the link 31 without affecting the brake pedal 33.

Figure 5 illustrates a modified form of they braking system in which means are provided for automatically releasing pressure on the opposite brakedrum when the connection to one of the drums becomes broken or otherwise defective. In this form of the invention a link 42 is connected to the brake pedal at one end and at its other end intermediate the lever 43. Links 44 and-45 connect opposite ends of this lever with the intermediate point on rock levers46 and 47 which control the rear and front brakes respectively. The operativeconnection from the levers 46 and 47 -with the brake .drums in each case is the same so only one need be described. A link f 48 is the same so only one need be described.

A link 48 is connected to an arm or lever 49.

The lever 49`has the universal or other flex-- ible oint 50. A link 51 connects the lever 49 with the brake drum on one side of the car.

lstps 56 limitforward and backward 'move-4 ment of the outer end of lever 54. In this form ofthe invention if the link 51 becomes disconnected it will allow the link? 48 to be pulled4 forward allowing the lever 47 to swing on its pivot with the link 45, allowing the other end of the lever 47y to move to the i rear which in turn releases the tension on the link and therefore release pressure on the brake drum on the opposite sideof the automobile. Similar stops 57 and 58 arepro.-

' the braking connections with one of the brake drums becomes defective and avoids the danger of having the car swerve when the brakes are applied'and one of the connections suddenly breaks. v

It will be obvious to thse skilled in the art that various changes may be-made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore I do not 'limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated inthe appended claims. Y

I-Iaving thus fully described my saidv invention,lwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A brake system for motor vehicles comprising the combination with the frame of the vehicle of a set of brake drums, a brake pedal, brackets secured. to the said frame, shafts mounted in said bracketsand having arms secured thereon, connecting links between saidl arms and the said brake drums whereby rotation of the shafts will apply the brake drums, and lmeans connecting said shafts with the brake pedal for rotating them to apply the brakes, said shafts lhaving universal joint one end of the shaft to have a floating action with respect to the remainder of the shaft,

the said links bein connected to Vthis end whereby rotation of5 the shaft applies equal pressure to the front and rear brake drums,

substantially as set forth.

2. A brake system for motor vehicles comprising the combination with the frame of the vehicle ofa setofbrake drums, a brake pedal, brackets .secured to the said frame, shafts mounted in said lbrackets and having arms se cured thereon, connecting links between said arms and the said brake drums whereby `rotation of the shafts -will apply the brake drums, means connecting said shafts with v-the brake pedal for rotating them to apply `the brakes, said shafts having universal joint connections intermediate their ends to permit one end` of the shaft to have a floating action with 'respect` to the remainder of the; shaft, the said links bein connectedto this end whereby rotation o the shaft applies' equal pressure to the front and rear brakedrums, and means for taking up lost motion to eliminate rattling of the shafts -in the brackets,`

substantially as set forth.

3; A brake system for motor vehiclescomprising the combination with the frame of the vehicle of a set of 'brake drums, a brake pedal, shafts rotatably secured to said frame and provided with arms fixed thereon, a connecting link between said pedal and said shafts, connecting links between said arms and said brake'drums, said shafts being provided with flexible connections intermediate their ends to permit the outer end thereof to move horizontally with respect to the remainder of the shaft whereby upon rotation of said'shafts equal pressure is applied to the brake drums, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Washington, District of Columbia, this seventh day of August, A. D. nineteen hundred and thirty. i

DAYTON R. JOHNSON.

.msl 

